


Happy-Sad

by charismawizard



Category: Steven Universe - Fandom
Genre: Family bonding~, One Shot, Other, Peridot getting used to Earth, fluffy-angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 23:30:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5984503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charismawizard/pseuds/charismawizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peridot contemplates the meaning of a word and Steven receives a new nickname.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy-Sad

Peridot didn’t have many experiences with emotions, all she had known was anger, fear, anxiety- Steven’s told her that’s not how people should have to feel. She wasn’t sure how to respond to this, as had it been from anyone else, she would call them a clod and continue to bury herself in her singular earthly possession. An episode of Camp Pining Hearts that now has a guaranteed place on a VCR tape.

But as of late, she had begun to try something new. Listening to people’s advice and possibly even going as far as to heeding it, because according to Steven- Steven seemed to be her greatest well of this _advice_ and though she would never admit it, she clung to him. As all the other Crystal Gems were all trying to adjust to life with Peridot, as Peridot was trying to adjust to life with them, she still couldn’t help but feeling stirrings of fear. That if she closed her eyes, the warming feeling in her chest would be gone and it would be nothing but a facade.

That warm feeling- that feeling. It felt so strange yet so familiar, like an old friend whose face was weathered in memory after years gone by or feeling new skin against your own. It was exhilarating! It made the newly minted Crystal Gem feel so free amongst all the chaos, that this was perhaps where she was always meant to be. Peridot hadn’t felt this in so long, this distinct affection for absolutely nothing except for life itself or the quality of it. What was the word she was looking for?

It was often used when referring to this sensation, and Steven seemed to use it quite liberally. Suddenly, it came to her! Peridot threw her fist against her palm as she often did when she had such breakthroughs. Happy! That was it! She was feeling happiness!

But if she felt so- extraordinarily happy? Then why was she also so terribly sad? Melancholy? Discombobulated? Woebegone? Despondent? Had she had more prior knowledge of Earth, one would be more concerned about her immense knowledge of sadness, yet forgotten happiness.

Suddenly, Peridot heard the door creak open from beneath her mountain of thick blankets as she peeked over the peak, only to see Greg standing in the doorway. She had some prior knowledge about Steven’s father, mostly from pushing him off the roof and all, and the rest from hearing Steven chatter on about how great his dad is. Despite the fact that she literally had no idea what a father was the first time this conversation took place.

 

 

_“...And so my dad sprayed me with the hose! My shirt was absolutely soaked!” Steven began to laugh, practically curling in on himself from laughing so heartily, though his demeanor became more solemn as he noticed the green gem’s expression. “Peridot? You okay?”_

_Her expression was one of pure befuddlement, her head tilted slightly to the left like a lost puppy, “What’s a- dad?”_

_“What?!” Steven exclaimed, sounding absolutely astounded by this question, though his expression quickly settled as he came to a new realization. “Oh!~ That’s right, gems aren’t really born that way, huh? Well you see, a dad is someone who loves and supports you no matter what! They do cool stuff with you like sing really loudly in the middle of the carpool lane and take you on adventures!”_

_“But would that make you my dad?” Peridot asked in a cautious tone, unsure of any words coming from her mouth._

_Steven chuckled awkwardly, putting a hand on her back, searching for a way to avoid having to tell Peridot about human mating rituals… Ew. Shivers shot down the young teen’s spine. “Well, uh- I suppose- uh, you know I’m not really sure! But I think you’re a pretty cool friend, if that’s any consolation? So maybe I’m just the dad friend?”_

_She nodded, taking every word to heart, as later that day she added to her tape recordings, “... And in conclusion, this is why Steven is now known by a separate title, known as a nickname, the ‘dad friend’.”_

 

 

Peridot snorted under her breath upon seeing the middle aged human, allowing herself to be swallowed by fabric once more. “Oh. It’s just you….”

Greg chuckled only for a brief moment under his breath, his expression warped into that of confusion and awkward discomfort. However, he decided to near the gem’s position on the sofa, but not within a distance that would be considered an invasion of personal space. “Uh, yeah, it’s- me? Sorry if I disturbed you, Peridot, I was just looking for Steven, seen ‘im?”

“I saw him this morning, but I don’t believe I have seen him since then.” Peridot murmured irritably, Greg now sighing as he rubbed the back of his sunburnt neck.

“Aw, alright. Thanks anyway,” but as he began to leave, Greg raised an eyebrow, “hey Peridot, you okay? You don’t seem like yourself today.”

Peridot growled for a moment before practically bursting out of her fuzzy mountain, now throwing her arms about, “It’s just that- I feel so happy! And yet I feel sad! And I don’t understand why! It’s so- frustrating! Just forget it! It’s stupid!”

He sighed softly, laughing under his breath with a smile as Greg returned to the couch. “It’s not stupid, Peridot. It’s just- feelings. They’re hard to understand I know, and sometimes they just somehow manage to get all mixed up. Like, I’m happy that Steven’s going to be grow up with his friends, but I’m sad that I’m never going to understand his problems. It’s all just- gem problems.”

“And you’re just- okay with that?” Peridot asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well yes… and no.”

 

The small gem scrunched her hands into her messy hair, “Ugh! But that- it makes sense but it doesn’t! Why must it be so confusing?!”

“Well, what’s making you feel happy and sad?” Greg asked in reply to her statement.

“This is so- fine, I’m happy because I feel like I’m actually contributing, like I’m really worth the Crystal Clods time or whatever, but I’m sad because I’m afraid that it all could just-”

“It all could just what?”

She sighed, “That it all could just go away, that maybe I’m just dreaming my time away in gem prison. That I’m never going to belong anywhere because I called Yellow Diamond a clod! And I upset the gems and-”

“Hey! Whoa! Peridot, calm down!” Greg said, making a time out gesture. “We’re not going anywhere, neither is Beach City. And from what I can tell,” he picked up one of the random drawings off the floor, only to see a poorly drawn yet endearing sketch of Peridot mid-rant with Steven’s signature in the corner, “they’ve come to like you too. So maybe instead of cooping yourself up in here dwelling on that sorta stuff, go do the things that make you happy.”

Her eyes widened, “I can do what I want whenever I want?”

“Well- yeah! That’s what Earth is all about isn’t it?”

The gem had never thought about it that way and yet, she quite liked the way it sounded. Once again, the door was flung open as an ever energetic Steven bounded through the door with a grin on his face, “Hey Peridot! Hey dad! What are you guys doing?”

“Just waiting for you, little man!” Greg exclaimed, ruffling Steven’s hair. “Now come on, we got some stuff to catch up on!”

Steven pumped his fists in the air, turning back towards the door. “Yeah! Stuff! You gonna be okay here for another hour before the gems come back, Peridot?”

And as Peridot looked over at the two, both looking quite gleeful despite the fact they had nothing to be gleeful about as all they had was each other. Yet, that was okay. She gave the boy a small, lopsided smile.

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna be alright.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed my simple one-shot! Though I had never intended for it to be shared with the public at first, my best friend, the person I wrote this for originally insisted that I publish it! Thus, here we are. If you loved it or even just laughed at my stupid jokes, leave it a kudos! And if you have anything you want to say or to just complain how I've wasted my time because I'm godawful or- whatever, drop me a comment! It is all appreciated!
> 
> And hey, thanks.


End file.
